Postgraduate Cert Fashion Buying & Merchandising

This Postgraduate Certificate (PGC) Fashion Buying & Merchandising programme takes the skills you have learned at undergraduate level and focuses them for a career in fashion buying.  You will learn about garment production and the dynamics of global sourcing including the sustainable fashion agenda – a hot topic and to the forefront of fashion buyers today. You will also develop an appreciation of the key competitive challenges of the contemporary global markets in fashion, textiles, and related industries. You will learn to consider current competitive positions and how to recognise opportunities for business growth in your role as a fashion buyer.

Deepen your knowledge of the business of fashion

This dynamic and relevant programme will appeal to those interested in deepening their knowledge and expertise in the business of fashion. You will advance your knowledge, understanding and professional practice through engagement with current research and thinking of global sourcing, strategic buying and finance for fashion management.

Flexible study with extensive learning resources

If you have been awarded a degree in an area  such as business management, accountancy, commerce,  this Postgraduate Certificate (PGC) in Fashion Buying & Merchandising is designed to offer a level 9 award to focus your qualifications and enhance your career opportunities in the area of fashion buying. The delivery mode is a flexible study option for those seeking to fit learning around work and family. There is access to extensive learning resources and support materials through our virtual learning environment that enables students to choose the time and place most suited for them to study. Assignments are practical and work-based and highly relevant to enhancing your strategic management skills.

Learn from Industry Experts

Cultivating strategic and innovative thinking is a core theme and the programme is taught from this perspective. Tutors are experienced industry leaders, ensuring the relevance of the content to management in the fashion industry. Graduates can immediately implement their learning and make a positive impact to the success of their working environment. This PGC programme will benefit your personal development as well as your professional career putting you in a strong position for career progression in this sector.

Develop as a buyer

The programme focuses on your development as a competent buyer at all levels. The content and specialised online learning approach is designed to provide a rich, stimulating, and individualised learning experience.  This post-graduate programme aims to facilitate an exploration and understanding of the concepts, issues in the context of the global business of fashion.

• Career focused qualifications – our courses lead to awards that offer you the opportunity to immediately advance your career.
• Individualised support – we fit your learning model with support available when you need it throughout your learning journey.
• Industry expert tutors – our tutors are all experienced in the field of the business of fashion connecting research and theory with practice throughout their lectures.
• Condensed scheduling – we value your time by ensuring your timetable is optimised for delivery, helping you maintain a work/life/study balance.
• Flexible delivery – we deliver theory sessions online whilst also recording the session simultaneously offering you a choice of when and how you learn.
• Affordable payment options – all our courses offer you the option to choose an easy payment plan supporting you to spread the cost out over your learning journey.

Designed and delivered by Fashion Industry experts

This Postgraduate Certificate Fashion Buying & Merchandising has been designed by our experienced education management and tutoring team in consultation with leading retailers. This programme offers you the opportunity to advance your skills and progress to the next level in the business environment of the global fashion industry. It is a comprehensive course preparing graduates to undertake a variety of roles within the world of fashion, business and retailing.

Why should I study this course?

This course has been specifically designed for delivery by online learning with live interactive webinar sessions. It is very suited to you if you have a busy work and home life and want to fit study around this. The integrated  programme webinars are designed to give you the connection between theory and practice. You will have the opportunity to attend online interactive webinars as they happen or to catch up later via the recorded session.

Build your professional network

Gaining employment in the business side of the fashion industry is the objective from this course and it is important students have the opportunity to gain practical experience and build a network of contacts within the sector. Portobello Institute has an established network of connections with many of the main fashion buying and merchandising departments within some of Ireland’s largest retailers.

Who will recognise my qualification?

Post Graduate Certificate in Fashion Buying is awarded by London Metropolitan University (London Met). This is mapped as a Level 9 award on the National Framework of Qualifications.

You will be registered as postgraduate student of London Metropolitan University and will receive a student card confirming their student status.

Qualifications Frameworks in Ireland and the UK

The Irish and UK qualifications authorities have collaborated on initiatives that promote the transparency, recognition and mobility of qualifications between our respective jurisdictions. The qualifications authorities in the UK and Ireland have agreed the qualifications frameworks in operation, Brexit will not impact this agreement.

Considering and understanding the complex critical paths in range planning including balancing lead times, design options, pricing strategies, sourcing strategies and the movement of stock into and out of the business are core elements of the Strategic Fashion Buying & Merchandising module. Factors affecting the supply chain including product market strategies and external forces within the market are also studies during this module.

Having the ability to forecast trends needs a complete understanding of the design and development of a complete range for a fashion season. Portobello Institute has designed and developed the module of  Garment Production & Global Sourcing to give students the opportunity to develop these skills. This module covers in detail design and development of an entire range, garment specification and construction.

Complementing these fashion focused modules are the core business subjects of strategic management and finance for fashion management. This Post Graduate Certificate in Fashion Buying & Merchandising is designed to encourage interaction and contribution from students, expert tutors and senior leaders. This methodology will enhance your skillset to include an understanding of a proactive approach and strategic thinking needed to advance your career as a manager of the business of fashion.

Course Structure

This course is delivered over 2 semesters with supported webinars held once per month. These are recorded so you can catch up later if you are unable to attend the live session.  This programme consists of four core modules. You will complete two modules in each semester.

Each module has 2 *  half day webinars designed to support the student to complete the modules scheduled for that semester. Webinars are generally held on a Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Attendance at webinars is recommended for an optimal learning experience and achievement. Webinars are delivered with the purpose of introducing the module lecturer, setting out the learning outcomes, content, the assessment strategy and expectations for skills/knowledge development.

All of the course material is held on an online learning portal which is an easy to use online platform specifically designed for online learning programmes. During the induction, students will be introduced to the platform with practical demonstration of how to use the portal and access lessons quickly and easily. To complete this course, students must have a basic knowledge of using a computer and searching the internet for research purposes.